1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering apparatus for steering and a bearing member.
2. Description of Related Art
A steering apparatus for a vehicle and so on is provided with an input portion receiving a steering force input from a steering portion such as a steering wheel and an output portion transmitting the steering force to steered portions such as wheels by receiving the transmission of the steering force. Then, the steering apparatus applies a rack and pinion mechanism having a pinion shaft and a rack shaft connecting to the pinion shaft for transmitting the force from the input portion to the output portion.
In the rack and pinion mechanism, a bearing member movably supporting the rack shaft is provided. For example, there is disclosed, in JP-A-2002-276654 (Patent Document 1), a bearing including an outer bush made of a synthetic resin having elasticity and an inner bush fixed inside the outer bush. In the bearing disclosed in Patent Document 1, a region abutting on an inner peripheral surface of a gear case and a region adjusting to one end portion of the region in an axial direction and partially not abutting on the inner peripheral surface of the gear case are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the outer bush.
Incidentally, there is a case where a lubricant for smoothing the movement of a rack shaft is provided in the bearing member at a contact spot with respect to the rack shaft. However, there is a danger that the lubricant between the bearing member and the rack shaft is reduced with the movement of the rack shaft. As a result, a large rubbing noise may be generated when the rack shaft moves.